✔650 Herlingshaw Centre

Boro Rangers 6-1 Thornaby Dubliners

North Riding Football League - Premier Division

Saturday 26th January 2019

 
Boro Rangers are a FA Charter Standard Community Club formed in 2003, running boys and girls teams of all age levels.  The senior side started in 2014 and became the last club to win the Teesside League in 2015-16 and 2016-17, before completing a hat-trick of titles in the North Riding FL Premier Division last season. The club have also won an array of cup honours in recent years including the double of the North Riding County Cup and the Macmillan Bowl in 2016 and 2018.

#HeedHopper

41 mile drive door-to-door

North Riding League - Premier Division grounds visited 9/16

MFC Foundation

Herlingshaw Centre

Normanby Road,

Middlesbrough,

TS6 9AE

The Herlingshaw Centre is a multi-sports facility overseen by the MFC Foundation, located in the heart of the local community in South Bank. The centre’s facilities accommodate over 10.000 visitors a year, having three outdoor grass pitches, a full size outdoor 3G pitch, a 7-a-side indoor 3G surface, as well as classrooms and function rooms.

Boro Rangers(2nd) v Thornaby Dubliners(3rd)

NRFL - Premier Division Matchday 19v20

2pm ko

Att.52hc

Weather:dry,windy

Boro got off to a great start when a corner kick was headed home by Phil Horsman in the fourth minute(see pic above) Dubs quickly responded to a missed penalty in the 18th minute when Russell Spence was unmarked at the far post to grab the equaliser.

The hosts dominated the second half with a hat-trick by Stu Rose within a twenty minute spell making it 4-1 with some decisive finishing by the number nine.

With five minutes left Steve Keenan scored the best goal I’ve seen in 2019(so far) finding the back of the net with a shot from just over the halfway line from the right-back position. Clayton McDonald brought up the half dozen with a rasping shot in the dying minutes to wrap up a fine performance from Rangers.

Matchday Stats

BRFC 6(Horsman 4 Rose 51,62,69 Keenan 85 McDonald 87)

TDFC 1(Spence 20)

✔649 Moor Lane

Salford City 1-1 Gateshead

National League

Saturday 19th January 2019

The City of Salford is a metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, granted city status in 1926.(population of 245,600)  There are over 250 listed buildings in the city, including Salford Cathedral, and three Scheduled Ancient Monuments. The area’s growth came during the Industrial Revolution, especially in the textile industry. Following the closure of the docklands in 1982, Salford became one of the first and largest urban regeneration projects in the UK, with Salford Quays now a vibrant area which includes The Lowry and MediaCityUK.

There are numerous famous Salfordians I could mention but there’s two that automatically spring to mind, that in my eyes, outshine the rest. I give you The Fall frontman Mr. Mark E Smith and “the bard of Salford” - Dr. John Cooper Clark. 

 The club was founded in 1940 as Salford Central, competed in local leagues until they joined the Manchester Football League in 1963. They also changed their name at this time to Salford Amateurs and took the nicknamed "The Ammies" In 1980 they merged with Anson Villa to become Salford FC, before added the City suffix in 1989.

Of course, as everyone knows, the club came the prominence in recent years after the takeover of the club in March 2014 by four ex-Man United players, who changed the club colours from orange to red. The progress of the club was featured in the excellent BBC One documentary series Class of 92: Out of Their League.  featuring their rise up the football pyramid.

Cheshire League 1980-1982

North West Counties League 1982-2008

Northern Premier League (North) 2008-2015 (champions 2014-15)

Northern Premier League 2015-16 (promoted via play-offs)

National League North 2016-2018 (champions 2017-18)

 

Peninsula Stadium

Moor Lane,

Kersal,

Salford,

Greater Manchester

M7 3PZ

National League grounds visited 24/24

Capacity 5,106 (2,240 seats)

Played here since 1978.

Moor Lane has been totally transformed in recent years with four new covered stands with enclosed corners. The North and South Stands are both seated, with terracing behind both goals. The ground was renamed the Peninsula Stadium in October 2017 as part of a corporate sponsorship deal, and officially opened by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Salford City (2nd) v Gateshead(8th)

National League Matchday 30

3pm ko

Att.2,055 (111 Heed Army)

Weather:dry,cloudy

SFC 1(Lloyd 28pen)

GFC 1(Boden 44)

A satisfying start to the Ben Clark era at Gateshead, as the Heed came from behind to grab a well earned draw. The Ammies were gifted the lead when keeper Pears needlessly brought down Matt Green and Danny Lloyd despatched the penalty. Gateshead levelled just before the break when Robbie Tinkler set up Scott Boden and  battled hard during the second half for a well deserved point.

Spondoolicks

Admission: £10

Programme £2
(Great value - twelve quid for money in and paper)

Pin badge £3

Coffee £1.50

#HeedHopper

0801-1020 Transpennine train from Newcastle to Manchester Victoria.

Return on the 1502 on Sunday.

98 bus at 1410 from Parsonage stop to the end of Moor Lane, arrived at the ground at 2.35pm

I merged this fixture with a Smidrophenia Ale trail weekend in Manchester with the breadknife. We supped in 17 GBG pubs over the weekend, with our favourite boozers being Lass O’Gowrie, The Brink and Peveril of the Peak.

We had a thoroughly enjoyable weekend, when it was also good to hear some cracking music from my favourite Manchester bands in the pubs... well... apart from when we visited The New Oxford and they constantly played f**king Simply Red.

✔648. Ponteland High School

Ponteland United 1-1 Whitley Bay A

Northern Football Alliance League - Premier Division

Saturday 5th January 2019

 
Due to the multi-million pound redevelopment of Ponteland Leisure Centre, the football club have moved just up the road and set up a new home at Ponteland High School. My visit to Ponteland United in January 2008 featured in ‘Around The Alliance - part one’, which you can read here.

Since that visit eleven years ago, Pont were Premier Division champions for the first time in 2010-11 and spent three seasons in the First Division, following relegation in 2012.

Ponteland High School

Callerton Lane,

Ponteland,

NE20 9EY

Northern Alliance Football League Premier Division grounds visited 16/16

Ponteland United have played home matches at Druids Park this season before moving to the new site. The ground is fully enclosed and rallied on all sides. There is a pair of wooden dugouts and one side, with the players using the school facilities for changing rooms. 

Ponteland (4th) v Whitley Bay A(14th)

Northern Alliance Premier Division Matchday 18 v17

2pm ko

Att.34hc

Weather:dry

PFC 1(#10 8) Goalscorer TBC

WBAFC 1(Emmerson 30)

The hosts took an early lead when the #10 ran onto a through ball and finished well with a nice lob over the ‘keeper. The visitors equalised on the half hour mark with a fine individual effort from Max Emmerson.

Pont were the better side after the break, but missed a hatful of chances. In the end they had to settle for a point, but they would probably feel like it’s two points dropped.

Spondoolicks

Admission: £2

No refreshment facilities